Love to read? Share your books in more ways then one! I make purses out of books! Yes, you read that correctly... I can transform your favorite book into your favorite fashion accessory! Check out the photo gallery on my facebook page, 2011 Books With Bite, for more info and comments.

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Want to order one...

All orders will go through my Etsy shop. For custom items I'll create a special listing with your name on it.If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. :) To contact me about a purse please send me a message through my Etsy shop, or 2011 Books With Bite (on FB).

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I originally made this Halloween themed book purse for myself, but I love the way it turned out, and it received so much attention on FB that I am currently taking orders for them.LIMITED TIME ONLY - when the Halloween stuff is put up for the year I will not be making them anymore. If your interested, visit my ETSY SHOP for details, click HERE.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Just thought I'd share. I had a customer request a Fifty Shades of Grey purse, so I found some lacy fabric that matches the tie! I love the way it turned out, but the pictures DO NOT do it justice. The fabric is actually shiny.

Don't forget to enter the Rachel Rawlings giveaway, only a few days left.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

A heroine, a love story, an epic battle and a good old-fashioned twist— everything you could ever want in a paranormal novel. The Morrigna is set in the present. Humans are aware of the existence of the supernatural. The main character, Maurin, is an interrogator for Salem's Preternatural Task Force. She aids the force in keeping humans safe. She is a very likeable character who makes mistakes while honing in on her developing power. An ordinary day turns upside down when she attempts to interrogate a suspect who, instead, turns the tables on her and reads her minds, knows her weaknesses…The secondary characters are interesting and really helped to both round out the story and add comedic relief where needed. I wanted to know more about Maurin's love interest.Maurin discovers more about the world and her self than she thought was ever possible. She is pulled into a war that she never knew existed and discovers that she just may be the one to bringing it all to an end.Rachel has created an interesting world full of sexy shifters, powerful witches and arrogant vampires who battle against gods and demons to keep the world safe. Rachel has placed her own spin on popular myths to bring her world to life. The premise for this book is interesting; unfortunately, the writing is a little shaky. Misspellings, misused words, a total absence of commas and entire paragraphs that shift tense abruptly pull you out of the story just when it's getting interesting. I'm not bad mouthing, just giving my insight and maybe this could help the author out, to maybe get a better editor. Really liked the story and am very interested in seeing where it goes. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

1. What inspired you to write your first book? (historical romance, paranormal or YA) I’ve written short stories and poems off and on since I was little but never pursued it professionally. My passion for reading and writing has never waned. A few years ago I got frustrated with the way some of my favorite heroines were evolving. It’s what finally gave me the push I needed to take all my notes and turn them into a novel.2. Will you be writing anymore Paranormal books, if so what will they be about and how many? Will it be a series? I am just about finished with Witch Hunt, book two in The Maurin Kincaide Series. My target release date is October 30th. It picks up right where The Morrigna left off. 3. Do you have a specific writing style? My style of writing is very casual. I right how I feel the characters would speak. Each one has their own voice and style in my head which I hope comes through my writing.4. Do you like being an author? I love being an author. The whole concept seems so surreal to me. The fact that people have read and enjoyed what I have written is mind blowing.5. How did you come up with the titles for your Paranormal books? Titles are tough actually. I try to find something that ties into the story but still makes people want to pick up the book. I had a harder time with The Morrigna, than Witch Hunt. I must have changed it half a dozen times.6. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?My books are for entertainment. I hope they give people an escape from the every day stuff. As for a message? Well, I'm no Aesop- you won't find any moral lessons or hidden meanings.7. Are there places in this book that are real? (towns, schools, etc) There are real places in my novels and a good bit of Celtic mythology.8. What books have most influenced your life most? Too many to list. If I had to pick something I guess it would have to be the Choose Your Own Adventure books I read as a kid. They really spurned my love for reading.9. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? Anne Rice.10. What book are you reading now? I am getting ready to start A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison.11. Are there any new authors that have piqued your interest? J.D. Brown and debut novel Dark Heirloom. I read that recently and thoroughly enjoyed it! She’s very talented.12. What are your current projects? I am wrapping up my second book. I have a third outlined and a novella in the works.13. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. I’ve found a lot of support through other authors and readers on Facebook actually. I’m new to the industry and fumbling my way around but the people I’ve met so far have been amazing!14. Do you see writing as a career? I hope it becomes one. I’d be a happy girl if I could turn the dream job into my day job!15. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? This probably sounds terrible but I don’t. I just remember having notebooks filled with half written stories and poems shoved into my dresser drawers since like 6th grade.16. Can you share a little of your current work with us? There are some recent random samples posted on my face book page for Witch Hunt.17. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Names. I drive myself crazy trying to come up with character names. I’ve even enlisted the help of my best friend Cory on more than one occasion to score the internet for name sites.18. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? Tolkein. I love all the layers he created- the maps, the elven languages etc. His attention to detail was unbelievable. It’s what sucks you in to his stories.19. Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? I’m traveling for the first time in October to the New York Comic Con. I’ll be there on the 12th. I’m really excited about it.20. Who designed the covers? I design my own covers.21. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Making time. Managing my family’s salons full time already takes a lot of time away from my husband and three kids. So trying to find the time to write and not feel guilty about it is hard.22. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? That it is never too late to accomplish your goals and fulfill your dreams.23. Do you have any advice for other writers? Writing is hard, getting published is harder and being Indie is the hardest of all. I’m Indie and regret nothing but be prepared for a lot of hard work. Have thick skin- like Kevlar thick. Agents and Publishing Houses can be tough but anonymous people on the internet are tougher. Get a good editor. They’re worth every penny! But most importantly, don’t give up!24. What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing your books to life? Logistical. It’s been a very home grown operation on getting the word out about my book and that’s fine because I’m in it for the long haul. 25. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? Thank you. Thank you for taking a chance on an unknown author and for reading my book!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Gwen Reaper was my first male POV written by a MALE author. This was a completely new experience and I wasn't sure how I was going to like it. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this side of things. I like hearing from the main character Scott, from a male voice. Scott was a really good character. He was strong but compassionate. He was a total "boy" but still had that nice guy side. When he meets Gwen he is immediately attracted to her and even though he is warned many times that she is "different" he is not swayed. He does not let others walk on him. Scott has serious self confidence, since he is willing to pursue Gwen even though others make fun. He is such a great guy that he is still able to maintain his "coolness" at school. He never doubts his feelings for Gwen and that is refreshing. Gwen is so special. I love that she is different but willing to let Scott in. The special "abilities" Gwen has makes this unlike any story I have read. I liked exploring this “male POV” and hope there is more to Gwen and Scott. I would definitely recommend this book and hope there is a book two.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Scott Blackstone is your typical all-American high school student—a city boy at heart with an idyllic life to boot. Upon his Grandmother’s death, his parents decide to relocate from Springfield, Illinois to the town of Custer, South Dakota to take over the family business. Here, in a town with a population less than 3,000, Scott is forced to start over. Upon investigating his new town, he spies upon girl…and an alligator. She ran away before he could explain. He unexpectedly found her again, at the very crowded local bakery. Having nowhere else to sit, he asks to sit with her and attempted to engage her into conversation. At her sudden exit, the customer sitting at the next table congratulated Scott for getting “the Webber girl” to talk because she hadn’t done so in ages. Scott definitely decided that Custer was growing more interesting by the minute. This was an easy relaxing read and only took a couple of hours to finish. I rather enjoyed that it was a mystery of sorts. Although I liked that it was told from Scott's point of view, I didn't really like all the details of the football games after the first few games but that might make it more interesting for the guys to read. I also didn’t need to know every song that played during every scenario. As the story unfolded, I was definitely anxious to hear about Gwen and her secret. What the heck was with the alligator? Why was she so quiet and withdrawn? What did happen in the fatal accident that claimed her father and younger brother’s lives? As an avid fan of paranormal series’, I would like to hear more about Gwen’s backstory. Will she ever master her abilities? Will Scott keep quiet about them? I am quite curious about what is next for Scott and Gwen as a couple. Overall it was an enjoyable book that helped to stretch my mind to different possibilities other than vampires, werewolves and witches in the paranormal/fantasy genre.

1. What inspired you to write your first book? My first novel-length book was Sunrise at Sunset, book one in the Sunset Vampire Series. I’d written short stories for most of my life, but the storyline and characters in Sunrise were so vivid, detailed, and complex that it made for a wonderful novel. The central characters, Katrina and Caleb, were so alive and in love that their story had to be told. As I’m currently writing the fourth book in the series, I’m finding that to still be true!2. Will you be writing anymore YA books, if so what will they be about and how many? Will it be a series?I have some ideas for additional YA books that I’ll probably write in the future, but I’ll have to wait and see how well Gwen Reaper is received before I’ll know whether or not my future YA novels will be published. In the publishing world, I’ve discovered that success breeds continued publishing. *grinning*3. Do you have a specific writing style?I wrote my first three Sunset Vampire novels from third-person omniscient, and I used italics to give readers insights into each main character’s thoughts. However, with my most recent endeavors, including Gwen Reaper, I’ve much more enjoyed the first-person writing style. It’s so much more intimate and you’re able to walk in a character’s skin, which is rather addictive to me as a writer.4. Do you like being an author?I absolutely, unequivocally LOVE being an author! I would rather write for a living than any other career, job, or endeavor that I could imagine. I recently tweeted that writing is the most rewarding, fulfilling, enjoyable, and enriching activity in my life. I’d die if I couldn’t be an author. However, I’d be much happier if I could afford to pay the bills and be an author full-time. Hopefully, someday… *crossing my fingers*5. How did you come up with the titles for your YA books?I enjoy plays on words, particularly puns, so I encourage book titles that reflect that. Ultimately, a title has to catch a reader’s eye, often requiring the use of words that are highly marketable.6. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?I’m not keen on heavy-handed messages in my novels. But I will say that there are subtle messages conveyed as undercurrents in the storyline and character development. In Gwen Reaper, socially relevant topics such as bullying, self-esteem, drunk driving, prejudice and societal norms, the nature of life, and young love appear. Each has its place for personal reflection by the reader.7. Are there places in this book that are real? (towns, schools, etc)Absolutely. Gwen Reaper takes place in the very real town of Custer, South Dakota. The local Custer High School and their Wildcats are all very real. Other real points of interest and nearby towns are included in the storyline, as well. However, I didn’t use any of Custer’s actual town business names.8. What books have most influenced your life most?During my youth, I valued, and was greatly influenced by, the fantasy works of Katherine Kurtz, David Eddings, and Raymond E. Feist.9. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?That’s easy! I would consider the fantasy author L. E. Modesitt, jr. to be a mentor. He’s an amazing author who has mastered the craft of writing and conveyed it in a beautiful, realistic manner.10. What book are you reading now?Currently, I’m reading Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine. It’s the fourth novel in her Morganville Vampires series. 11. Are there any new authors that have piqued your interest?I was really impressed by E.L. James and her captivating Fifty Shades Trilogy. There’s also a new fantasy author named Tom Barczak, who has a real talent for writing using a classic fantasy writing style in his Evarun series.12. What are your current projects? I’m in the middle of writing the fourth novel in my Sunset Vampire Series, and I’m preparing to send the first novel in a new urban fantasy series to my editor. It’s titled Bringer of Fire and is scheduled for release this December.13. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.The Paranormal Romance Guild and its cadre of member authors has been an invaluable resource to me. They’re some of the most talented authors I know, and they’re very supportive and encouraging. I’m really proud to be a member of the Guild.14. Do you see writing as a career?Currently, writing is only a part-time career for me. Regrettably, I’m not yet established enough as an author to make a living writing full-time, but I’d love to!15. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?I’ve been doing creative writing since I was in elementary school, so I guess you could say that it’s been a lifelong passion. I used to write short stories in fifth grade that my homeroom teacher would sometimes allow me to read to the class. That’s one of my earliest vivid memories of being a writer.16. Can you share a little of your current work with us?Sure! Here’s a short excerpt from Gwen Reaper.As I walked along the shoreline to get a better look back into the inlet, I saw a girl standing on a small section of beach on the other side of the inlet. She appeared to be about my age, and had long, dark hair and a cute body. It appeared that she was looking at a huge log lying partially out of the water.Then I realized that the ‘huge log’ had stubby legs and a snout!The beast was easily twice her size and weight, and the hulking creature opened its mouth, revealing a long row of teeth. I was fairly sure that it was an alligator or crocodile. But instead of running away, the girl just stood before it, pointing her arm at it like a rod.“Get away from it!” I called out in warning.I grabbed a nearby piece of driftwood and started running toward her. Before I made it ten yards, the creature had thrashed its head and backed away from her, darting backward and disappearing into the water. The girl looked up with surprise to stare at me, and then disappeared into the trees at a dead run.“Wait!” I yelled, running down the shoreline toward her.When I got to where she’d been standing, all that I saw were tracks in the sand; both hers and the animal’s footprints. I grabbed my cell phone to take photos of the creature’s prints, but the lapping water had already partially obscured them, rendering the images relatively useless.“What the hell was that all about?” I asked incredulously while scanning the trees, hoping that the girl might just be hiding nearby.Unfortunately, she was gone.And while I was hardly a reptile expert, I was sure that there weren’t supposed to be wild alligators skulking around South Dakota.17. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?Actually, my biggest challenge is trying to find spare time for writing. I can’t seem to free up as much time as I’d like to. Then again, I have to maintain a full-time career in order to pay the bills, as well. *chuckling* However, as far as the writing process is concerned, sometimes I’m challenged by intense fighting scenes to make sure that events are properly sequenced and conveyed in clear fashion to the reader. In my brain it’s like watching a movie playing, so imagine trying to turn a movie into a script instead of the other way around.18. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?My favorite author is L.E. Modesitt, jr. I love his approach to fantasy novels and character development, including the remarkable manner in which he presents strong female characters in his novels. He’s an awesome writer!19. Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?Regrettably, no. I do most of my traveling via the Internet. I’d love to travel to locations that I write about, but most of them are far away from where I live. My wife and I have discussed making some trips in the not-too-distant future to places such as London.20. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?I’d like to thank readers for being so kind and supportive of my work, and I encourage everyone to keep checking back on my website at jazprimo.com for new works that are periodically being released during the next twelve months or so. I’m diversifying my upcoming works in various genres and subgenres outside of vampires, so I’m hoping there will be something ranging from urban fantasy to paranormal romance to historical fantasy for readers to appreciate.21. What was the hardest part of writing your book?That’s an excellent question. In Gwen Reaper, the hardest part was fully immersing myself into the young adult mindset. My storyline was solid, but I had to make sure to keep the first-person voice focused as a teenager. Given that it’s been years since I was in high school, it’s a lot harder than I remembered! *grinning* But based upon feedback from beta readers, I think that readers will be really pleased with the results. *crossing my fingers*22. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?I learned a great deal about South Dakota, and I captured an interest in writing young adult literature that hadn’t been prevalent until writing this novel.23. Do you have any advice for other writers?Absolutely! Writers need to focus their energies on stories that they feel passionate about. Don’t try to write for what’s selling in the marketplace. Your heart won’t be in it, and the marketplace changes so quickly that you probably wouldn’t be able to complete your novel in time to take advantage of fleeting fads. Also, be sure to find an excellent editor for your work. It doesn’t matter how good or competent of an author you think you are, the services of a professional, unbiased editor are worth their weight in gold!24. What were the challenges in bringing your books to life?The biggest challenge has always been “time” and finding enough of it. *laughing* Beyond that, it’s so important to spend quality time developing the “world” or setting for my novel in order to make the environment believable and immersive to the reader. However, once I’ve accomplished that, it’s especially satisfying when readers respond positively.*glancing at my watch*Wow, is the interview over already? Time passes so quickly when you’re having fun!Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to be interviewed on Book Purses. It’s been such a pleasure to appear here, and I sincerely appreciate your hospitality. My thanks to your blog fans and readers for spending their time with me, as well.I hope that readers will take a moment to look me up at one of the online locations listed below and check out Gwen Reaper, as well as my Sunset Vampire Series.Website, Facebook, Amazon Author PageTwitter: @jazprimo , Google+: +JazPrimo

Here’s the teaser for Gwen Reaper:

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." John Keats, English romantic poet.

I never thought that my first exposure to real beauty would be tinged with the threat of oblivion…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When high school junior Scott Blackstone is forced to move from his childhood home in Springfield, Illinois to small-town Custer, South Dakota, he expects nothing less than to languish in complete disappointment. Instead, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious seventeen-year-old girl named Gwen, who captivates him from his initial, adrenaline-laced sight of her on the shores of Stockade Lake. Scott’s pursuit of the elusive Gwen sweeps him into the midst of a potentially lethal family heritage that was birthed in hope, only to be passed into a legacy of guilt and death.

Scott engages in a journey of discovery, tinged with both angst and danger. Like many dire legends throughout history, he is unprepared for the untimely revelation that both love and despair are often two sides of the same coin.